Beware, 12th Man: The hungry Florida Gators are crawling out of the swamp and heading to a raucous Kyle Field to take on No. 5 Texas A&M, which is fresh off of an “Operation Blackout” victory over Mississippi State.
Coach Mike Elko’s squad isn’t the only one riding high. Coach Billy Napier’s Florida squad just stunned then-No. 9 Texas, reigniting hope in Gainesville, Florida, and simultaneously kicking the Longhorns out of the AP Poll. That win might have been the turning point this ultra-talented Florida team needed after an underwhelming 2-3 start.
Coming into 2025, Florida was considered one of the more complete teams in the Southeastern Conference, and a dark horse in the College Football Playoff race. But through their first four contests, the Gators have looked nothing of the sort, dropping games to South Florida, Miami and LSU.
But after a dominant 29-21 victory over Texas, Florida once again has a pulse, and it is none other than the Aggies who get to face the revived Gators.
For A&M redshirt sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed, this isn’t his first rodeo against the Gators. His first career start for the Maroon and White came last season in Gainesville. Now, his 14th start will be in front of the 12th Man under the lights of Kyle Field.
The Nashville, Tennessee, native has put together a solid campaign so far, throwing for 1,256 yards and 11 touchdowns while only tossing three interceptions. His breakout moment happened in South Bend, Indiana, where he threw for 360 yards and two scores, to exorcise the Aggies’ past demons in front of Touchdown Jesus.
Since then, Reed’s numbers have taken a slight dip, but he’ll need to regain his rhythm if he hopes to break through a stingy Gator defense.
Florida’s defensive front jumps off the tape. Redshirt senior edge rusher Tyreak Sapp is a player A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein must account for. Sapp has tallied 17 tackles and a sack on the year, and is still viewed by many as a potential NFL Draft pick.
Aside from its defensive strength, the Gators’ offense finally found its footing against what was widely considered one of the nation’s best defenses in their game against the Longhorns.
Sophomore QB DJ Lagway, a former five-star recruit, headlines Napier’s offense. The 6-foot-3, 247-pound signal caller has thrown for 988 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions this season and is coming off of a 298-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Longhorns.
Lagway is a familiar name in Aggieland.
“DJ’s obviously a kid that we’ve known and tried very hard to get here,” Elko said during Monday’s press conference. “He’s an extremely talented quarterback, he’s playing so much better, he’s made a lot of growth and taken a lot of strides. You see him very comfortable back there, and I think he’s playing at a really high level. He’s a really talented kid.”
A&M’s coaching staff isn’t the only one familiar with Lagway; the sophomore has had Kyle Field circled on his calendar for a while.
“For sure, I’m definitely excited to go back to play at Kyle Field,” Lagway said during SEC Media Days. “I have been to a lot of games in Kyle Field and for me to be able to play in one, it’s gonna be so real. Having all my family, my teammates, my classmates, my coaches, teachers, all of them be at the game. It’s gonna be fun.”
The sophomore quarterback is a Texas native and former standout for the Willis Wildkats, just down the road from College Station. One storyline to watch will be the feud between A&M junior linebacker Taurean York and Lagway.
Their high school paths first crossed on Sept. 2, 2022, when York’s Temple squad defeated Willis 34-20, holding the highly touted Lagway to just 115 yards and no touchdowns.
Their feud continued when the two met last season. Heading into halftime, the pair were caught exchanging a few words that can’t be printed here.
York’s Aggies got the best of Lagway and the Gators last time. With a revamped defense that’s been playing lights out since SEC play began, York and Co. will look to make it two-straight wins over the Willis native.
One matchup that could be the game-decider lies in the trenches. Redshirt senior left tackle Austin Barber, whom Elko called “one of, if not the best tackles in the conference,” will go head-to-head with A&M’s star redshirt senior defensive end Cashius Howell.
Howell has been nearly unstoppable this season, racking up seven sacks through five games, just half a sack shy of what last year’s trio of NFL-bound defensive linemen combined for all season. He’s on pace to become the first Aggie to record double-digit sacks since 2017.
The stage is set for a Saturday-night showdown at 6 p.m. at Kyle Field as the Aggies look to improve to an SEC-best 6-0. Meanwhile, Florida finds itself backed into a corner, with Napier’s job potentially hanging in the balance.
